Sliding door frame structure



Jan. 7, 1958 E. F. LAWRENCE m I 2,813,608

' SLIDING DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE Filed March 29, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E46 J05 l a I -I'/ If i 4 M INVENTOR w Iliu Jan. 7, 1958 E. F. LAWRENCE m2,818,608

SLIDING DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE Filed March 29, 1956 INVENTOR.

United States Patent SLIDING DOOR STRUCTURE Edwin F. Lawrence HI,Sterling, -Ill., assignor to Lawrence Brothers, Inc., Sterling, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application March 29, 1956, Serial No. 574,727

9 Claims. (Cl. -119 The present invention relates to a novel slidingdoor frame structure, and more particularly to a novel pockettypefirameestructure.

An .object vof the present ,inventionis to provide a novel pocket-typesliding door frame structure which .may be essentially prefabricated ata factory (and shipped to .a building site in a knocked \down conditionand which is constructed to facilitate easier and faster installation ina previously prepared rough opening in a wall structure of a building orthe like.

.A more specific object .of the present invention is to provide a noveldoor frame structure having a header member and a plurality of jjambmembers, which structure is adapted to enable thejamb members to bequickly, easily and securely connected to the header member without needfor a workman doing the'installation work to apply or tighten fasteningdevices .such as screws, rivets, bolts or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novelpocket-type door frame structure of the above described type whereinthejjamb members are "secured to the header in a manner which provides'arigid connection so as to improve rigidity of the u'ltimatewallstructure and to obtain support for intermediate portions of the headermember.

A Lfurtherob'jec't of the present invention is to provide a novelpocket-type door frame structure of the above described type,which isconstructed so that upon assembly of individual 'jamb members with apreviously installed horizontal header member, the ja'rnb members areautomatically brought substantially into vertical plumb positions.

Still another object of the present invention "is to provide a novel'door frame s'trucuire of the above described type which may easily beadapted for installation in'walls' of various thicknesses and/or foraccommodating doors of various thicknesses.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. "1 is an elevational view showing a pocket-type sliding door framestructure embodying the features of the present invention installedwithin a rough opening in a fram'ed wall'structure;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the manner inwhich the jamb meni'bersrarezconnected with the header member inaccordance with the present invention;

'Fig. 3 is'ascross sectional view 'showing'one jamb memberin a fullyassembled condition and showing :an :opposite iamb memberin :a partiallyassembled condition;

illrig. dis a sectional'xiiewrtaken along dine 4' riniFig. 2;

Fig. :5 is in zfra gmesntany perspective View showing the :rna-nner ofbringing .the dowelzend of one jam-b member -.intolzregistration with apreviously assembled :ja-rnb "ice fully assembled condition for a wallof standard width such, for example, as a four inch wall;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a slightly modifiedstructure for connecting the jamb members to the header member and alsoshowing the jamb members fully assembled and spaced for installation ina wall having an increased thickness;

Fig. .8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of assemblingthe modified jamb members of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 .is a fragmentary perspective view showing another modified formof the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts aredesignated by .the same numerals throughout the various figures, a doorframe structure 10 incorporating the features of the present inventionis shown fully installed within a rough opening 12 .in a wall structure14 which is formed in the usual manner. The door frame structure 10comprises a header member 16 which is adapted .to be secured in ahorizontal position to upstanding studs 18 and 20 defining oppositesides of the rough opening 12. The frame also includes pairs of separateand cooperable jamb members 22-24 and '2628 which are detachablyconnectable to the header member in the manner described below so thatthe frame structure may be shipped to the buildingsite in a knocked downcondition and then quickly and easily installed in the rough opening.

In the embodiment shown, .the header member 16 is in the form of aninverted steel channel having a length similar to but less than thedistance between the studs 13 and 20 defining the opposite sides of therough opening. Bracket members '30 and 32 are connected with oppositeends of the "header member '16 and have flanges adapted to be secured tothe studs 18 and 20 by a plurality of nails 34 and 36 or the like.Preferably, these brackets are axially adjustably connected to theheader member to adapt the header member "for installation in roughopenings of various widths. This is accomplished by providing thebracket '30, for "example, with elongated slots 38 in its opposite sidesthrough which connecting screws '40 extend. As will be understood, theheader may be easily installed in a proper horizontal position bynailing one of the end bracketsto a stud at a previously marked heightabove the floor 42 and then levelling the header andina'iling theopposite end bracket to its associated stud. The end brackets areprovided with sufficient holes for accommodating 'severalnails, and, ifdesired, the header may be initially secured by a single nail througheach bracket .80 that any slight deviation from the proper horizontalposition may be corrected by tapping one end of the header with ah'ammerprior to final securing by additional nails.

A depending track member 44 is secured within the header member by aplurality of screws 46. A door 48 is supported from this track member byapairof hangers 50 secured to the top edge of the door and havingrollers '52 riding 'onthe track member.

The jamb members 22 and .24 respectively comprise similar elongatedsteel channels 54 and 56 which, in the embodiment shown, combine :withthe header member 16 to provide the frame structure with an over-allthickness substantially equal :to .the Width of the studs 18 and Inorderto facilitate attachment of wall covering material such .as wallboard,plaster .l-ath or the like to the :jamb members, na-ilin g strips .58and 60 of wood or the like are disposed within .the channels. Aplurality of detents 62 and 64 are preferably struck inwardly from thesides of the channels 54 and.5.6 .for preventing .axial displacement ofthe nailing strips.

In accordance with a feature .of the present invention, a bracket 66 issecured to and preferably presassembled with the header 16 whereby thejamb members 22 and 24 may be easily, quickly and securely connectedwith the header. The metal bracket 66 comprises a base portion 63adapted to be connected to the header by a plurality of screws '70, anda pair of end portions 72 and '74 which extend upwardly and outwardlyfrom opposite sides of the header member. These end portions arerespectfully provided with rectangular openings 75 and 76 adapted toreceive upper end portions of the jamb members 22 and 24. The upper endportions '78 and of the jamb members respectfully have their oppositesides cut away as at 82 and 84 so that they may be inserted through theopenings in the attachment plate or bracket while at the same time theterminal ends of the attachment plate do not project laterally beyondthe outer surfaces of the main portions of the jamb members. Thus, theterminal ends of the attachment bracket will not interfere with the wallcovering material secured to the jamb members.

It should be noted that the end portions 72 and 74 of the attachmentbracket extend upwardly at a substantial angle from the horizontal,which angle, for example, may initially be about 45 as shown by theposition of the end portion 74 in Fig. 3. Furthermore, the major lengthof each of the openings is such. that the opposite sides or flanges ofthe jamb member upper end portions 78 and 80 are closely retained byportions of the bracket defining opposite ends of the opening. Thesefeatures tend to prevent the jamb members from shifting in planesparallel to the longitudinal axis of the header when the jamb membersare fully assembled with the header. Thus. when the jamb members areapplied to a horizontally positioned header member, they willautomatically assume approximately vertical positions.

The minor width of the openings 75 and 76 is similar to but slightlygreater than the width of the jamb member upper end portion sideflanges. As a result the jamb members must be arranged in inclinedpositions as indicated by the jamb member 24 in Fig. 3 before theirupper end portions can be inserted through the openings. Then when thejarnb members are swung by toward the header member and toward verticalpositions, their upper end portions bind between inner and outer edgesof the openings. Furthermore, the end portions of the attachment bracketor plate will be flexed downwardly as shown by the end portion '72 inFig. 3 so that the inner and outer edges of the openings aggressivelyengage the iamb members and resist any axial movement of the jambmembers to the opening. Thus. the connection between the iamb membersand the header member is sufiiciently rigid and secure so that any forcesuch as the weight of the door tending to bow the header memberdownwardly is transmitted to and at least partially supported by thejamb members whereby the header member may be formed from lighter weightand more economical material. Freferably, the inner edges of theopenings 75 and 76 are located substantially in vertical alignment withthe outer side surfaces of the header member as shown best in Figs. 3and 4. Thus, the opposite sides of the header member serve as abutmentslimiting inward movement of the jamb members so that when the jamb members are swung inwardly during assembly thereof, they are automaticallylocated in substantially vertical positions.

Associated with the lower end of the jamb member 22 is a foot member 82having a base plate 84 and upstanding tab 86 welded or otherwise securedto the iamb member. Apertures 88 are provided in the base plate throughwhich nails or the like may be driven for securing the foot member and,thus, the lower end of the jamb 22 to the floor. A separate foot member90 is connected with the lower end of the jamb member 24, which footmember has a base plate 92 provided with nail receiving apertures 94 andan upstanding tab 96 welded or other wise secured to the jamb members. Aslot 98 is formed in the inner edge of the base plate 84 and acomplementary tongue 100 projects from the inner edge of the base plate92 and is adapted to enter the slot as shown in Fig. 6. Thus, after oneof the jamb members has been properly located in a vertically plumbposition and secured to the floor, the other jamb member may beautomatically properly positioned by relatively moving the foot members82 and 90 into abutting relationship with the tongue extending into theslot as shown in Fig. 6.

The above mentioned jamb members 26 and 28 are identical to the jambmembers 22 and 24 and are adapted to be connected to the header by abracket or plate member 102 which is identical to the attachment plate66. It is also to be understood that the jamb members 26 and 28 areprovided with separate foot members respectively identical to the footmembers 82 and 90.

In order to adapt the frame structure for defining door openings ofvarious widths, a plurality of sets of apertures 104 is provided in theheader member for receiving the connecting bracket securing screws 70 atlocations spaced along the header member. The bracket 66 will normallybe assembled at the factory in the position shown adjacent nailingplates 106 and 108 of wood or the like which are secured to oppositesides of the header by a plurality of screws. This is the properlocation for the majority of the door openings, but in the event a wideropening is desired, a workman may easily remove and relocate theattachment plate or bracket 66. The nailing plates 106 and 108 each havea thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the jamb members 22and 24 respectively and are provided for enabling wall covering materialto be nailed or otherwise secured to the header above the door opening.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modified door frame structure which is similar tothe construction described above as indicated by the application ofidentical reference numerals with the suflix a added to correspondingelements. This embodiment differs in that the opposite side flanges ofthe upper iamb member portions 78a and 80a are respectively providedwith series of notches 110 and 112. These notches are adapted to receiveouter terminal end sections of the attachment bracket or plate 66a whenthe upper ends of the jamb members are inserted through the openings andswung toward vertical positions so that the jamb members and theattachment plate or bracket are positively interlocked to restrainmovement of the jamb members out of vertical positions and to provide aneven more positive support for the intermediate portions of the headermember.

Another advantage of the structure of this invention is illustrated inFigs. 7 and 8. More specifically, the frame structure is adapted easilyto be modified for installation in a wall having a thickness greaterthan the usual thickness when the wall is framed with standardtwo-by-four studs. This may be accomplished by replacing the standardbracket or plate 66 with a longer plate 66a so that the jamb members arespaced the desired distance laterally from the header member to mcreasethe overall thickness of the wall. Of course, the lower ends of the jambmembers will also be spaced farther apart, but it should be noted, thatthe interlocking tongue and slot of the foot members will still enablethe lower ends of the jamb members to be quickly and easily aligned asshown in Fig. 7. The nailing plates on the header member above the dooropening may be easily adapted for a thicker wall' structure merely bysecuring wooden shim members or the like thereto. It is to be understoodthat the embodiment of Figs. 1 through 6 may be adapted for various wallthicknesses by substituting attachment brackets or plates of differentlengths and that the embodiment of Figs. 7 and 8 may be adapted for awall having a standard thickness by substituting a shorter attachmentbracket or plate.

In Fig. 9 there is shown another modified form of the present inventionwhich is essentially identical to the structures described above asindicated by the application of identical reference numerals with thesuffix b added to corresponding elements. In this embodiment pairs ofspaced tabs 114 and 116 are respectively struck from opposite sides ofthe header member 16b. The tabs 114 are disposed for snugly embracingthe jamb member 22b when it is moved into its vertical position for evenmore securely retaining the jamb member against movement out of theproper vertical position in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe header member. The tabs 116 are disposed for snugly embracing andsimilarly restraining the jamb member 24s. It will be appreciated thatthe header member 16b may be provided with similar tabs for restrainingjamb members, not shown, corresponding to the above described jambmembers 26 and 28.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may bechanged without departing from the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A knockdown door frame structure comprising header means adapted tobe mounted in a horizontal position, attachment plate means on saidheader means and including portions with openings therethrough extendinglaterally and inclined upwardly from opposite sides of said headermeans, and a pair of separate jamb members having upper end portionsextending through said openings and re-movably bound between laterallyinner and outer margins of the openings of said plate means portions.

2. A knockdown door frame structure comprising header means adapted tobe mounted in a horizontal position, attachment bracket means on saidheader means and including portions with openings therethrough extendinglaterally from opposite sides of the header means, a pair of separatejamb members having upper end portions extending through and removablyconfined within the openings of said bracket means portions, andseparate foot members adapted to be secured to a floor and the likerespectively connected with lower ends of said jamb members, said footmembers including complementary engageable guide means extendingtransversely with respect to said jamb members for aligning lower endsof said jamb members in various laterally spaced positions.

3. A knockdown door frame structure comprising header means adapted tobe mounted in a horizontal position, attachment plate means on saidheader means including portions extending laterally and inclinedupwardly from opposite sides of said header means, said portions havingopenings therethrough, a pair of separate jamb members having upper endportions removably extending through said openings, margins of saidplate means defining said openings closely confining opposite sides ofsaid jamb members for restraining movement of the jamb members in planesparallel to the axis of the header means.

4. A knockdown door frame structure comprising header means adapted tobe mounted in a horizontal position, attachment bracket means on saidheader means including portions extending laterally and inclinedupwardly from opposite sides of said header means, means providingopenings in said portions, and a pair of separate jamb members havingupper end portions removably extending through said openings, saidopenings each having a width transversely of the header means similar tobut greater than the corresponding width of an associated jamb memberupper end portion for facilitating insertion of the jamb member endportions into the openings when the jamb members are arranged in firstpositions substantially perpendicular to planes of said bracketportions, projections of said openings in a horizontal plane 6 having awidth less than said width of the jamb member upper end portions so thatthe jamb members will secure- 1y bind in said openings when the jambmembers are positioned substantially vertically to provide secure andrigid connections between the jamb members and the header means.

5. A knockdown door frame structure comprising header means adapted tobe mounted in a horizontal position, attachment bracket means on saidheader means including portions with openings therethrough extendinglaterally from opposite sides of the header means, a pair of separatejamb members having upper end portions extending into and removablyconfined within the openings of said bracket means portions, and meansproviding notch means on said upper end portions for receiving marginsof said bracket means portions defining said openings for positivelyinterconnecting the jamb members with said bracket means portions forrestraining movement of the jamb members in planes parallel to alongitudinal axis of the header means.

6. A knockdown door frame structure comprising header means adapted tobe mounted in a horizontal position, attachment bracket means on saidheader means including portions with openings therethrough extendinglaterally from opposite sides of the header means, a pair of separatejamb members having upper end portions extending through and removablyconfined within said openings, and pairs of projection meansrespectively extending from opposite sides of said header means andspaced vertically from said laterally extending bracket means portions,said pairs of projections means respectively embracing said jamb membersand restraining said jamb members against movement in planes parallel toa longitudinal axis of said header means.

7. A knockdown door frame structure comprising header means adapted tobe mounted in a horizontal position, a bracket member secured to saidheader means and having opposite end portions extending laterally fromopposite sides of said header means and disposed in planes inclinedupwardly from said header means, and a pair of separate upstanding jambmembers including upper end portions having predetermined exteriordimensions, said bracket member end portions including means definingopenings therethrough having dimensions similar to those of said jambmember upper end portions, said upper end portions respectivelyremovably extending through said openings and being bound by margins ofsaid openings to restrain movement of the jamb members relative to thebracket member.

8. A knockdown door frame structure, as defined in claim 7, whereininner edges of said opening are respectively disposed in substantiallyvertical alignment with opposite vertical sides of said header meanswhereby said opposite sides assist in locating the jamb members insubstantially vertical positions.

9. A knockdown door frame structure, as defined in claim 7, whereininner edges of said openings are respectively disposed laterallyoutwardly of opposite sides of said header means for positioning thejamb members laterally outwardly of said header means, and whichstructure includes a pair of separate foot members respectively securedto lower ends of said jamb members and adapted to be fastened to a flooror the like, said foot members including complementary guide edgesextending transversely of said jamb members for aligning lower ends ofsaid jamb members in various laterally spaced positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,753,223 Anderson July 3, 1956

